STARTING out as a civil structure contractor, Singapore-based Beverly Group Sdn Bhd — a subsidiary of Singapore-registered Qingdao Investments Pte Ltd — became a property developer when its founder and CEO Lim Seak Koon decided to experience property development “from the other side”.

Unlike its more established neighbours of Bangsar and Mid Valley, the Kerinchi/Pantai areas have yet to be fully gentrified. Here, one would find the whole gamut of residences from low-cost flats, to student housing, to luxury condominiums.

SET to look across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok is the first Mandarin Oriental branded residences in Southeast Asia. It is part of the 20-acre THB50 billion (RM5.89 billion) Iconsiam integrated development by The Iconsiam Superlux Residence Corp Ltd, a joint venture between Thai property developer Magnolia Quality Development Corp Ltd, retail company Siam Piwat Co Ltd and conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group.

This week, the spotlight falls on the secondary market of non-landed residences in Kuala Lumpur’s Bangsar South, Pantai and Kerinchi areas.

Technology is posing quite a challenge to the conventional way of doing business, including real estate buying, selling and renting.

THE Kuala Lumpur and beyond Kuala Lumpur (Selangor) office market remained stationary in 4Q2015, with looming supply casting a shadow on rental and occupancy rates. 

Overall, capital values in Bangsar have remained stable. The top performers were the older mid-end properties. The highest relative price growth can be found at Jamnah View, with the average price up 23% to reach RM898 psf in the 12 months to 1Q2015. The 1-bedroom units here have begun to surpass the RM1,000 psf threshold.

Ching Chiat Kwong, a former policeman-turned-serial entrepreneur and property developer, is used to taking risks. His most audacious bet by far is a 40-acre (16 hectares) regeneration scheme in the Royal Docks in east London that he purchased for £200 million in November 2013. 

AXIS REIT Managers Bhd’s newly appointed CEO, Leong Kit May, enters the meeting room at the company headquarters in Menara Axis, Petaling Jaya, with a bright smile. The media-savvy CEO is quick to settle herself in for the photo shoot and interview with City & Country, answering questions confidently and clearly.

The condominiums offered in Bangsar consist primarily of large, exclusive, family-style units.